Jewish Values for a Secular World

For 3,500 years, Jews have been telling their children and the rest of the world the most revolutionary message in human history.

Once in the fourth grade, I got caught in a lie. It wasn't an especially egregious lie; it endangered no one's safety or property. I simply avoided a school activity by falsely claiming that I had my parents' permission not to take part. Somehow I was found out.

Here is how seriously the Hebrew Academy of Cleveland took that small lie.

The assistant principal came to my classroom, interrupting the lesson that was in progress. He wrote a quotation from Exodus on the blackboard: "Midvar sheker tirchak." He asked what the words meant, and made a point of calling on me to give the answer. "Keep away from lies," I said.

When he finished this impromptu exercise on the gravity of lying, he had me go back with him to his office. Only then did I find out that he knew about my lie. He took a book from the office safe, turned to a clean page, and wrote down the lie that I had told. I had to sign the page and date it; the book went back into the safe.

Needless to say, I was mortified. But I learned some important lessons that day. I learned that my lies could disgrace me, that words are not easily erased, and that the adults in my life noticed when I did something wrong.

WHY JEWISH VALUES MATTER

Why is a Jewish education -- a Torah education -- so important? So that our Jewish heritage will be reinforced in the present and transmitted to the future? Yes. So that the rhythms of the Jewish day and the Jewish week and the Jewish year will continue unabated in every Jewish community? Yes. So that Jewish families will be better able to observe the holidays and perform the commandments? Yes.

The timeless mission of the Jews is to make the world better by making people better.

Let me suggest at least a small part of the answer: Judaism matters to the whole world because it is a system for making human beings decent. For turning men into menschen. The timeless mission of the Jews is to make the world better by making people better. We do so by standing for the proposition that there is one God Who created and rules this world and Who cares profoundly about the way people act.

For 3,500 years, Jews have been telling themselves, their children, and the rest of the world: Be good. Be kind. Be honest. Be ethical. Be moral. It is the most revolutionary message in human history, and we are the people who were chosen to deliver it -- to be, as the prophet Isaiah said, an "or lagoyim" -- a light unto the nations.

FEEL GOOD VERSUS DO GOOD

Contemporary society says, "The important thing is to feel good about what you're doing." Judaism says, "The important thing is to do good, regardless of what you feel."

The belief that feeling good is more important than doing good is all too prevalent in the secular world around us. That is one reason many of us send our children to religious schools. We know that they are far more likely to grow into ethical young men and women than if they're encouraged to believe that how they feel about themselves matters more than how they act toward others.

Judaism would love for you to be passionate about giving charity, visiting the sick, avoiding gossip, telling the truth on your tax return. Judaism would be delighted if you performed those mitzvot from the heart. But what if your heart isn't in it? What if you don't really feel like doing one of them?

It is beautiful to feel charitable, but it is far more beautiful to actually give charity.

Judaism says: Do it anyway. It is beautiful to feel charitable, but it is far more beautiful to actually give charity. It's wonderful if you never feel the temptation to say bad things about other people, but it is considerably more wonderful to refrain from saying them even when you are tempted.

CONSISTENT ACTS OF THOUGHTFUL KINDNESS

There's a popular bumper sticker that says: "Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty."

At first glance, it seems a warm, uplifting sentiment. In a world filled with random cruelty, what could be more welcomed than some unexpected kindness? With all the senseless violence human beings inflict on each other, we can all use a little more beauty in our lives. Who wouldn't welcome anything that can inspire us to deeds of kindness and beauty -- even if only an expression on a bumper sticker?

Yet the more I see this expression, the more it bothers me. The words are sweet. But taken literally, they convey a troubling message.

For what our society needs more of is not random kindness, but sustained and dependable kindness; not senseless acts of beauty, but beautiful behavior that is deliberately cultivated. Of course a random kindness is better than no kindness at all. But it is the ethical equivalent of sitting down at the piano to bang out "Chopsticks": quick, easy, and not very serious.

The meaning that lurks in the interstices of "Practice random kindness" is that treating others with compassion and decency is something to be done as a lark. That is not a philosophy that promotes kindness as an essential element of good character. It is a philosophy that promotes kindness as a fun activity for a slow weekend.

This attitude suffuses the recent spate of "kindness" books. "Random Acts of Kindness," for example, suggests buying coffee for strangers in a diner or secretly washing a neighbor's car.

Something called "The Kindness Society" offers this on its web site:

"Random acts of kindness are those sweet or lovely things we do for no reason except that, momentarily, the best of our humanity has sprung into full bloom. When you spontaneously give an old woman the bouquet of red carnations you had meant to take home to your own dinner table, when you give your lunch to the guitar-playing homeless person who makes music at the corner…, when you anonymously put coins in someone else's parking meter…, you are doing not what life requires of you, but what the best of your human soul invites you to do."

I am all for spontaneously giving bouquets to old women. Any good deed is to be encouraged, even if it is only done on a whim. But if kindness is merely spur-of-the-moment gestures, if it is "not what life requires of you," why bother? Because it feels good? Then what happens when it doesn't feel good? What happens when it takes a real effort of will -- or a financial sacrifice -- or a significant commitment of time -- to treat someone with kindness and charity?

How different is the understanding of kindness conveyed by Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation. Each of the three Biblical patriarchs is regarded as the exemplar of a particular trait, and Abraham is remembered above all for his acts of loving-kindness. (Isaac's trait is self-sacrifice; Jacob is the paradigm of scholarliness.)

Jewish tradition teaches that kindness is what life requires of you.

The Bible portrays Abraham as a man intensely concerned with the comfort and well-being of others. He leaves his sickbed when he sees strangers in the distance, ignoring his pain in order to show them hospitality. He pleads with God to spare the cruel sinners of Sodom and Gomorrah. So thoroughly does he inculcate the habit of kindness in the members of his household that when his servant Eliezer journeys to find a wife for Isaac, the litmus test he applies is one of compassion: He looks for a girl who is willing not only to offer him a drink of water, but to draw water for his camels as well -- a backbreaking chore.

This is kindness of a far higher order than washing your neighbor's car or handing out carnations in the street.

"Jews are the compassionate children of compassionate parents," the Talmud teaches. "One who is merciless toward his fellow creatures is no descendant of our father Abraham." Jewish tradition teaches that kindness is what life requires of you.

The sages taught that God Himself is the original model of kindness: He clothed Adam and Eve when they were naked, visited Abraham when he was sick, comforted Isaac in his grief, buried Moses after he died. We, who are commanded to follow in God's ways (Deuteronomy 13:5), must likewise clothe the naked, visit the sick, comfort the bereaved, bury the dead. We pray on Rosh Hashana for God to treat us with charity and kindness -- asei imanu tzedaka va'chesed -- not randomly but daily, not on a whim but constantly. He wants the same from us. "For I desire kindness, not sacrifices," said the prophet Hosea 2,700 years ago.

FIGHTING EVIL

"Of course I dislike the Nazis," one student said, "but who is to say they are morally wrong?"

A few years ago, Robert Simon, a philosophy professor at Hamilton College, wrote about the inability of his students to make a definitive moral judgment -- even a judgment that the Holocaust was evil. "Of course I dislike the Nazis," one student said, "but who is to say they are morally wrong?" At Harvard, James Q. Wilson encountered a similar reluctance to condemn the Holocaust: "It all depends on your perspective," one student told him. Another commented: "I'd just have to see these events through the eyes of the people affected by them."

Something has clearly gone awry when students at prestigious institutions of higher learning cannot bring themselves to denounce Auschwitz and Treblinka. Too many Americans now shrink from appearing "judgmental" or "moralistic" -- the very words themselves are now used only as pejoratives. The prevailing attitude is: "Who's to say what's right or wrong?"

We live, these days, in a sea of nonjudgmentalism. In schools, on the campuses, in the media, there is a belief that all cultures and ways of life are equally valid, that no one is entitled to judge another person's behavior or views.

Even after September 11, there were prominent voices that refused to categorically condemn the terrorists who had slaughtered so many innocent people. Reuters, the British wire service, decided as a matter of policy not to call Al Qaeda and the hijackers "terrorists" -- on the grounds that "one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter."

Worse than this caution against distinguishing between good and evil is Stephen Jay Gould's assertion in a New York Times op-ed written shortly after 9/11 that goodness is common and evil infrequent.

"In this moment of crisis," wrote Gould, the late Harvard biologist, it is important to affirm the "essential truth" that "good and kind people outnumber all others by thousands to one" -- as at Ground Zero, which has now become "a vast web of bustling goodness, channeling uncountable deeds of kindness from an entire planet." The horrors of history are caused not by a "high frequency of evil people," Gould said, but by the terrible destructiveness of "rare acts of evil."

It is true that there has been an outpouring of benevolence since Sept. 11; it is natural for members of a community to come together in a crisis. But it is not true that human nature is essentially good or that evil is rare. And it is the worst kind of wishful thinking to believe otherwise.

Decency and compassion may be conspicuous at the moment, but where were decency and compassion during the centuries of slavery, when men and women were reduced to chattel? Where were decency and compassion when the Nazis killed two-thirds of Europe's Jews with the approval of a vast legion of "willing executioners?" Where were decency and compassion when 800,000 Rwandans were butchered by their fellow citizens? When Bosnian women were herded into camps to be raped? When Kitty Genovese was stabbed to death in her middle-class New York neighborhood as dozens of neighbors ignored her cries for help?

The unwelcome truth is that most people are not innately good and kind. Our willingness to commit or acquiesce in cruelty and meanness is considerable. Gould's belief in humanity's essential goodness is an act of blind faith -- touching, in a way, but harmful. For if people are naturally decent and moral, there is no urgent need to teach decency and morality. If "good and kind people outnumber all others by thousands to one," it isn't necessary for people to hone their character, to work at virtue and ethics as diligently as they might work at pitching or piano playing.

As a secular humanist, Gould had to believe in human nature: For him there was no higher authority. But those who believe in God and a transcendent moral code do not need Gould's rose-colored glasses. We are able to acknowledge humanity's moral weakness and capacity for evil without despairing. For we understand that even though goodness and kindness don't outweigh evil by thousands to one, each of us can become -- with effort -- a better and kinder person. Only in that way can the fight against evil in the world make any real progress.

A child who grows up with a Torah education knows that there is good and evil in the world, and knows that he is expected to strengthen the good and counter the bad. Wrote King David in the 97th Psalm: "Ohavei Hashem sin'u ra" -- if you love God, hate evil! That is the moral passion that Judaism has encouraged for 3,500 years -- and that is why those who are imbued with its values understand that the evil of this world is very real indeed, and that all of us have an obligation to do our best to fight it.

Visitor Comments: 48

(48)
Keith Stallings,
January 3, 2015 10:48 PM

I am an agnostic, but I agree with the major basis of this article. If children are not taught be kind, to love justice and mercy, they will follow other paths instead. I love the Jewish people because of this message that they send.

(47)
George Mavros,
July 17, 2012 10:29 PM

Religions & Ethics

In today's world one does not need a religion or a God to know what is ethical and what is not. All religions offer the highest standard for ethics. The sad reality is that most people today cover behind their 'religiousness' to hide their immoral & unethical life-styles.
I am an atheist and yet I follow a very ethical, compassionate & Spartan life-style, re; I am repulsed to big money, power and possession of material things. I earn an honest living and keep only what I need, giving most of my money to the needy, usually to disadvantaged, disabled, poor children, and that makes me feel real good.
Yet I see most of today's religious leaders hold enormous private wealth.

(46)
David,
October 21, 2008 4:42 AM

Us versus them mentality

I'm generally a fan of Judaism, it's intelligence, compassion, and vast contributions to human heritage.
But when I read an article like this, I start to feel queasy. Judaism does not have any primacy nor monopoly on virtue. Virtue is found in many societies, and some of those societies pre-date Judaism. And the Jewish community is not free of immoral or unethical conduct: sometimes individual, but also sometimes communal.
This column has an aura of presumed superiority about it, of "we are better than everyone". Is that a Jewish value, too? If so, perhaps one that needs to be reconsidered.

(45)
Jessica,
March 29, 2008 11:56 AM

I have hope...

I'm a teenager in the Jewish community and I would like to say I have hope. I see the mizvot of Jews my own age, of the students I teach in Sunday school, and of my peers in my secular public school. My peers fear moral deterioration in this world where morality is set aside for self-gain. I am happy to be a part of a community that provides teens with the opportunity to better themselves through camps, Jewish education, and other programs designed to develop individual views on morality. I'm not saying we're on route to immediate perfection through the progress I've seen around me but I am confident in the influence of few to affect many.

(44)
Meg,
February 4, 2008 8:27 PM

This is very valuable and well-said.

I am not Jewish, but am realizing that the standards, or rather lack of standards, in the world out there, are not acceptable. The mainstream disregard for childhood innocence, for adult responsibility, and for morality in general, is unacceptable. Desensitization (the loss of compassion) is nearly glorified in mainstream American culture.I want to raise my children to be moral, compassionate, fair, honest, modest, and humble, rather than simply smart and successful. But my values are scraped together from the chaos of no particular culture growing up, and my knowledge and discipline for transmitting these values is shaky. The concept of Menschlekheit (forgive the probable misspelling)is something missing, yet desperately needed, in all society.

(43)
Dan Kustudich,
December 22, 2007 4:45 PM

Virtue does NOT belong to ANY ONE "religion" !

In describing how you learned that lying is not good, you concluded:"We (The Jewish people )do so by standing for the proposition that there is one God Who created and rules this world and Who cares profoundly about the way people act." Well, whether "God" even exist or not, the negativity of lying is known to many other groups of people, even to those for whom "gods" are a fiction of our imagination. My father ( a secular humanist ) used to say "Lies have short legs" teaching me that the consequences of lying are undesirable. So, in my view, we need to encourage wisdom, honesty and jusice through ALL , and not only ONE "selected" ideology, especially not religious one. Dan Kustudich

(42)
Zissi,
December 9, 2007 2:39 PM

Thank G-d for Torah standards

I'm a public school teacher, where the truth and morality are often distorted, if not destroyed altogether. Morality is simply not taught, nor being a kind or caring person. Thank G-d for the Torah and Its standards of truth and kindness.

(41)
Dassa,
July 29, 2007 11:45 AM

G-dless University

Oy! I must lament about the state of the American university. As a college student, the reoccuring rhetoric again and again and again is that there is no RIGHT or WRONG. There's different, altervative, unusual, unfarmiliar. But G-d forbid that should make it wrong. G-d forbid we judge any ideas by our own standards. And about that, they're right. Morality shouldn't be judged by you or me or any immortal creature. I thank G-d the world of Judaism that I inhabit derives its standards from the singular source Above.

(40)
Dvirah,
February 7, 2007 1:55 PM

Reply to Anonymous 1/17/2007 11:57;00 AM

One example of Jewish kindness are the many Palestinian children being treated in Israel's hospitals for life-threatening ailments, for example congenital heart conditions. An examination of Israel's foreign policy would reveal the many poor and struggling countries who have been and are now being helped by Israel. These facts are buried while fictitious "human rights violations" are broadcast the world over.

(39)
Yonaton,
January 26, 2007 4:11 AM

Excellent article

In a world so filled with confusion about morality, we see the Torah pointing the way, helping us to be real.thank you

(38)
Susan,
January 19, 2007 4:52 PM

Excellent article

What an excellent article! Jewish values have been a tremendous asset to Western Civilization. Our country and culture needs to bring back these much needed values.

(37)
Yossi,
January 18, 2007 1:02 PM

Man's natural inclination

It is stated in the Torah that the "inclination of the heart of man is bad from his youth". There you have it straight from the manufacturer.

(36)
trevor,
January 17, 2007 10:28 PM

inspiring reminder perfectly timed

Thank you,a timley reminder to someone who was becoming jaded.Thanks,Trevor.

(35)
Anonymous,
January 17, 2007 11:57 AM

Acts of kindness

You say in your comments that Jewish tradition dictates a level of kindness that surpasses that of random acts of kindness. What are the consistent acts of kindness that the Jewish nation does this days in the world around them in the 21 century that would be different then somebody giving charity or helping somebody out at any given time (who may or may not be of his community.)?

Thanks

(34)
Philip,
January 16, 2007 7:06 PM

Affording Jewish day school

My children (twins) will be attending kindergarten in September. I would like to send them to the local Soloman Schecter day school but at $30k I cannot afford it. If you ask about me applying for asssistance the fees involved with just that will cost me $900. Sadly I don't even have that figure to give considering that I can't guarantee a decent scholarship for my efforts. Yes I am VERY BITTER and the atternative will be the local afternoon hebrew school and secular school till then. Thank you for letting me vent. By the way, this is the senario I went through and it was extremely insufficient.And people wonder why most Jews don't follow the religion. Without a strong early learning background via day Hebrew school, it ain't worth much.

(33)
Anonymous,
January 15, 2007 9:19 AM

Practice Makes Perfect

a subway rider recently jumped in front of a moving train to save a fellow passenger in need. the story remained on the headlines of every news program for days. while there is no argument that we need to live kindness, random acts can surely spur us on to do more. Mitvah Goreres Mitzvah. when we see hear and even feel how wonderful an act of kindness can be, we will hopefully want to do another etc. the message on the bumper sticker serves more than being just a catch-phrase, it serves as a bit of a reminder of what we could achieve in just a brief flash of inspiration.

If men were inherently good, there would have been no need for God to tell us to "Love one another." We would do it, naturally. Unfortunately, we are at a place where the world does not want to acknowledge God as our Creator. Too many people want to see themselves as their "highest authority." God is the Author of all life, and we can only learn to love others if we believe in doing what the Bible teaches. They are trying to take God out of our daily lives, and even our thoughts--to say that there is no right or wrong. I've heard, many times, that there is no real black or white, because there are so many "gray" areas in between. I don't believe that--sin is sin. What was right, when the world began is right now. What was wrong, then, is still wrong now. But, for those who do believe in gray areas, it gives them a way of "escape" from the reality of what their lives are. Not having to live by any moral code gives them the feeling that they are doing "alright." It's kind of like a person who speeds. One hundred people will say that they would never speed. That they obey the speed limits. But, try going down the street at the posted speed limit, and see how many people pass you--even going over double yellow lines. I believe that God has shown us the way to live our lives, and we can only do so by following the commandments that He has given us to follow. To deny the Holocaust only serves to show how people are trying to make us believe that we are "basically" good, and that evil is not as bad as it seems. It also helps them to believe that they are not a part of the evil that pervades our society. Evil goes as far back as the Garden of Eden. We don't have the same advantage that Adam & Eve had. They were created perfect, and chose to do evil. We are created with sin in our hearts, and need to learn to do good. We can be taught to hate, even more quickly than we can be taught to love, because love is not natural to our sinful souls. I pray that the United States of America will wake up to the evil that we are propagating, and turn back to God. Then, we will be able to love, without restraint, instead of killing babies, ignoring the plight of other nations, and turning our backs on God's people, the Jews. Rigt now, stupidity and evil reign, and God's laws take a back seat to what legislators and activist judges want. But, God will always prevail! And, so will the Jews! Evil will be the ultimate loser!

(30)
Ron Weatherall,
January 14, 2007 1:54 PM

How true it is !

I don't really care what people believe, you can believe in rocks if you want but don't throw them at me. The laws of life are found in 10 knownstatements. Peace would prevail if we all live by them and loved one another.

(29)
Naomi,
January 14, 2007 11:24 AM

Enlightening

This is a timely article - I have been thinking alot about the ways words and actions can strip value from others (my words and actions), instead of using words and actions to reflect and affirm the image of God each of us bears.

And I greatly appreciate the balance given evil vs. good. It is hard to live in the reality that evil exits but it is worth struggling with how to respond to and walk out life in the light of that reality rather than acquiescing to the slow-motion complacency required of denial.

A comment re Abraham - my understanding was that Abraham was not prepared to let God destroy Sodom and Gemorrah because of the righteous men still living there, not because he wanted God to spare the evil men. While I don't believe God is in the business of gratuitous vengeance, I am encouraged by that story - God is gracious, He cares for the righteous and because of that evil men will at times reap the benefit of that grace but I am also encouraged to know that He does not hesitate to deal with evil in the fullness of time. In order to live in the reality of good and evil, it helps me to know God is a God of justice.

(28)
chris chick,
January 14, 2007 9:49 AM

an excellent article it would for the citizens of the countries around israel to read it we pray that GOD will mightily bless ISRAEL

(27)
Nikos,
September 27, 2006 9:02 PM

I really took Jeff Jacoby's article on Jewish values for a secular world to heart. I am an Eastern Orthodox Christian and of Greek origin (I'm obligated to say: we Greeks have also suffered genocide)--but it is obvious that this article does not go against any of my religion's beliefs. The beauty in this is that so many religions do have a moral basis--however, people who speak on secular terms, who exclude religion from their public lives, cannot say much about whether something is wrong or something is right. I loved the part where Jacoby explains how there is "no higher authority" but human authority, and this can only promise imperfection and goes no where in making our world a better one.When we include religion in our moral code in our American secular world, we shouldn't preach our religions but rather set an example for those around us. A wise Christian said "preach...and sometimes use words." We shouldn't set ourselves up in hating eachother because of our differences, but in "preaching" our religions without words seems to bring us together--we teach ourselves morality and how to be human--and I think God would approve of this.

(26)
Anonymous,
November 1, 2004 12:00 AM

A Christian Response

I am black. I am a Christian. I love Jewish people. I applaud their survival as I applaud the survival of my people against the same creulty. I learn from Jewish people and I share it with young people - you see I am so sad that my people have not chosen this response as the Jews who survived the trauma. Jews have continued to thrive - my people struggle. There is much to learn from the Jewish nation. It is an amazing example of God's love and kindness and why He chose the Jews.

(25)
debbie beauchamp,
October 23, 2004 12:00 AM

I enjoyed reading Jeff Jacoby's article on the Jewish values for a secular world. It offers hope, reason for thought, and great insights into the matter of religious values. I especially like the part where he goes into the subject where people tend to blind themselves by the wrong's in this world. The thought of the Nazi ocupation is to me a time that evil made its self known to the world and in the evident act, displayed that the element of evil prevailed when two-thirds of the european jewish population were destroyed in the most horrible fashion. Nightmares, the slaughter of Jews, 911; people jumping to their deaths from deadly ensuing tempertures of 2000 degrees, slayings, car bombings, and other disasters are evil. In my religion, these things are not of God. Jacoby is right when he impresses in his article how people should feel the need to be judgemental in making distinctions between good and bad; right and wrong. And we need to make these decisions for ourself and not be swayed by blindless and become oblivious about the politics of acts of evil. I think, if were to name three great evils of the past two centuries, the Nazi's impulse to kill and torture is at the top of that list.

(24)
Anonymous,
October 19, 2004 12:00 AM

Biblical Source for article

For the person who wondered whether there was a Biblical or religious source for the author's contention with Gould's assertion that good people outnumber evil thousands to one: Bereishis (Genesis) 8:21 "For the inclination of man's heart is evil from his youth" -- and Rashi explains, he is born with his Evil Inclination. According to most religious sources (sorry I can't be more specific) the Good Inclination only enters a person at maturity (12 or 13) and has to fight an uphill battle to overpower the well-entrenched Evil Inclination.

(23)
Anonymous,
October 13, 2004 12:00 AM

living in a world of burr

This is a great article and i think it summed up a barrier that seperates the 'world of the torah observant' with the 'world of the secular' nicely. Its so subtle yet so profound and many of us suffer from this 'the whim of the moment' disease. Bill Clinton summed that up well...his affair...he did it because he could. Thanx for getting it down in written form I was looking for something like this.

(22)
sara zohar,
October 12, 2004 12:00 AM

aspects of NOW for a convoluted world

THis is the first article of yours I've come across and I wish to thank you - for a long time I've sought ways to bridge my orthodox views with secular friends and you've helped immensely. The bumper sticker referred to above is an absolutely perfect conversation roller. But I can also use the ideas when approaching my very Israeli kids. You see, I came to Israel long, long ago, infused with ideals and love of Eretz, but my kids have grown into this country so matter of factly that it's sometimes hard for them to see anything else. Is that wonderful? well, yes - but also presents its own problems. Yishar Koach and may Hashem bless with you with continued wonderful abilities to see clear through the mess of our modern lives.

(21)
Elias Sosa,
October 7, 2004 12:00 AM

Excellent article

If we accept Gods rule, and applied it in our daily life,the whole world would be at peace.

(20)
Miryam,
October 7, 2004 12:00 AM

Wonderful Article!

This is a wonderful article, very true. I completely agree with everything you wrote Mr. Jacoby. It is easier for people to act out of evil than out of kindness, its the sad truth.

(19)
Mrs. Douglas Helms,
October 7, 2004 12:00 AM

Wonderful Article

As parents teaching our children to be moral, kind & Torah observant this article spoke volumes to us, this will be a must read for all 3 children. Thank you & bless you

(18)
Jose,
October 1, 2004 12:00 AM

Good article

(17)
Richard Stachowski,
September 26, 2004 12:00 AM

Evil From the Start

We read about the two first children of Adam and Eve and find that one was a murderer and that is 50% of the young population at that time. We wouldn't need laws if man was basicly good. We would't have to learn good.

(16)
rafi rosenberg,
September 21, 2004 12:00 AM

I believe that gould is right!

thpough I enjoyed the better part of this article I still think that Gould is right. There is much more good than evil and people have much mor good to them than they do evil. Adn this was especially evident to me on 9/11. This does not obviate the need or urgency to teach the difference between good and evil, because it is always easier to build than to destroy.

I wonder what the biblical or religious sources of the author are for his assertation that "it is not true that human nature is essentially good or that evil is rare. And it is the worst kind of wishful thinking to believe otherwise."

(15)
Robin,
August 3, 2004 12:00 AM

slavery is not a thing of the past

When I read the line: "...where were decency and compassion during the centuries of slavery, when men and women were reduced to chattel?" I was reminded of a documentary that I just saw on PBS a couple days ago telling the story of a few people who had escaped from their enslavement just within like the last year or so, and stating that TODAY the number of slaves is far greater than the total number of slaves before slavery was outlawed! I am reminded on a daily basis of how much evil we live with, our society is so covered with it, like pigs wallowing in their poop-mud, that now it's like if someone stumbles upon a 'pearl' they wonder what that gross white thing is and try to trample it out and/or mud it up. It is harder to find a good neighbor than not. And lately, it is like you are a freak if you are not a homosexual. I am thankful to have such beautiful oasis' like aish.com and other such lights within today's thick fog of darkness. I think there needs to be more opportunity for all people to attend a Jewish/Torah based school, and though I understand the well-founded fear of my beloved Jewish people, what about all the people genuinely, desperately, grasping for this light, for a life lived in Torah, who are pushed away back into the filth and darkness?

I'm rambling-- good article, but aren't they all good on aish.com?! Thank you!

(14)
Jack E. Shattuck,
October 17, 2003 12:00 AM

Wonderful contrast of Torah v. secular values

I have had my share of disagreements before with Jeff Jacoby, over First Amendment issues, but when it comes to parsing the righteousness of conduct as coming from Torah, this article is right on: Better to be act in response to G-d's commandments than to act (or decline to) based on the shifting sands of free will. This should be enshrined along with a wonderful article by Sol Roth, published for Passover, 1990, in CHAI TODAY (a Lubavitcher magazine), called "Freedom", contrasting American democratic traditions of rights to freedom versus Jewish religious origins of freedom to accept G-d - given responsibilities.

(13)
Sara Rigler,
October 16, 2003 12:00 AM

Superb article

I loved this article both for its attack on moral relativism and its championing of the hard work necessary to become a truly moral person. The article should be widely disseminated. Any chance the Boston Globe would print a condensed version, minus the Hebrew?

(12)
Lawrence Boord,
October 13, 2003 12:00 AM

Compelling article. But was the assistant pricipal embaressing him?

A really good article with much to think about. I wonder though if the assistant principal in the Hebrew Academy of Cleveland did all he could to avoid needlessly embaressing Jacoby in front of his classmates?

(11)
Anonymous,
October 12, 2003 12:00 AM

Excellent

Comprehensive and well written. Made his points well and thoroughly, from his being a child thru current events.

(10)
Braha,
October 11, 2003 12:00 AM

Are good and evil self evident as such?

The flaw in this wonderful article is that the author assumes the loaded question of what distinguishes good from evil is self-evident. The western world he quotes is currently assuming there is no objective answer to this question. Has the author clarified the answer so that this assumption is squarely debated? The fact that this question is not considered self-evident any more is a tremendous success on society's part, seeing as history is replete with unthinkable crimes commited out of thoughtless conviction. I am looking forward to this article's more probing sequel.

(9)
Ron Pedder,
October 9, 2003 12:00 AM

This article stood out.

It stood out because Jewish values are in direct contradiction to the evil that is in the world. And I speak as a Christian. Civilisation came through the Jews.

(8)
Ira Grossman,
October 9, 2003 12:00 AM

This was an outstanding article

I plan to use this article as a handout whenever I teach about Tikkun Olam. I am sharing this article with two of my synagogues discussion list serves and with Christian friends as well. I would hope that Mr. Jacoby consider publishing this article in the Boston Globe aslo.

(7)
Ed,
October 8, 2003 12:00 AM

Banality of Evil

The most striking thing about evil is how common it is. This is what shocked me most when I went to college, and that was years ago. The most prevalent value system seen today in the secular world is "self-interest." One cannot underestimate the value of a Jewish education--any Jewish education--in producing moral adults. Unfortunately, many Jewish parents (no less than one-third) today provide no Jewish education whatsoever to their kids. What kind of adults are those kids going to grow up to be?

(6)
Anonymous,
October 8, 2003 12:00 AM

Moral Code

I don't disagree with the need for a strong internal ethical/moral compass and behavioral code. However, as a psychotherapist, I assert that publically humiliating a small child for lying teaches nothing, though it may temporarily suppress undesirable behavior. Compassionately exploring what motivated the lie and then teaching Torah and appropriate behavior will produce long-lasting results, because such interventions exemplify respect while increasing the child's behavioral repetoire. A child who feels respected is receptive. Shame is whithering.

(5)
Anonymous,
October 8, 2003 12:00 AM

Beautifully Written

Thanks for the refreshing article. It is Torah that shows us good and evil, and some in their to desire to seem compatible with the world views, and not TOO religious fail to recognize or teach Torah. This desire to be compatible with the people who do not know and practice Torah principles results in the downfall of mankind as a whole. Thanks for the article.

(4)
Pesach ben Abraham,
October 8, 2003 12:00 AM

Wonderful

Your article is wonderful. We as Jews must be constantly continue to uphold these values. However and unfortunatelly, many do not. As a matter of fact those who don't and abuse the ignorant and the poor, give power who those who would like to destroy us. We should be well aware of this, since it is US who set place the behaviour of Jews on the tablets of the world.

(3)
Janna,
October 7, 2003 12:00 AM

Excellent well written article

Probably the most sane writing I've read in a year.

(2)
Beverly Kurtin,
October 7, 2003 12:00 AM

Outstanding!

For those who would take umbrage with Mr. Jacoby’s article regarding man’s natural state, just look at any child. Left to act naturally, they are mean, selfish, downright nasty things. And cruel? Just go to any playground where one child is really different from the others and see how that child is treated. It won’t be nice to see.

Our children need to be taught to be decent, kind beings. It doesn’t just happen.

It was rather shocking to read that college students couldn’t make up their minds if the Holocaust was wrong. But that seems to be an expression of the ambivalence they witness on a daily basis, particularly in the news media that can’t even cough up the word “terrorist” when one is pointing a loaded gun in their face.

Is all lost? Hardly. There are still reasons to be optimistic. As I’ve watched my own children become adults it is encouraging to see that the values they learned at home have had a lasting impact and that those values are being passed onto a new generation.

May we all have a new year filled with reasons to rejoice.

(1)
Anonymous,
October 7, 2003 12:00 AM

Excellent

I hope people really think about the message being conveyed in this article.
Having good traits doesn't just happen but needs to be taught.

I just got married and have an important question: Can we eat rice on Passover? My wife grew up eating it, and I did not. Is this just a matter of family tradition?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

The Torah instructs a Jew not to eat (or even possess) chametz all seven days of Passover (Exodus 13:3). "Chametz" is defined as any of the five grains (wheat, spelt, barley, oats, and rye) that came into contact with water for more than 18 minutes. Chametz is a serious Torah prohibition, and for that reason we take extra protective measures on Passover to prevent any mistakes.

Hence the category of food called "kitniyot" (sometimes referred to generically as "legumes"). This includes rice, corn, soy beans, string beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, mustard, sesame seeds and poppy seeds. Even though kitniyot cannot technically become chametz, Ashkenazi Jews do not eat them on Passover. Why?

Products of kitniyot often appear like chametz products. For example, it can be hard to distinguish between rice flour (kitniyot) and wheat flour (chametz). Also, chametz grains may become inadvertently mixed together with kitniyot. Therefore, to prevent confusion, all kitniyot were prohibited.

In Jewish law, there is one important distinction between chametz and kitniyot. During Passover, it is forbidden to even have chametz in one's possession (hence the custom of "selling chametz"). Whereas it is permitted to own kitniyot during Passover and even to use it - not for eating - but for things like baby powder which contains cornstarch. Similarly, someone who is sick is allowed to take medicine containing kitniyot.

What about derivatives of kitniyot - e.g. corn oil, peanut oil, etc? This is a difference of opinion. Many will use kitniyot-based oils on Passover, while others are strict and only use olive or walnut oil.

Finally, there is one product called "quinoa" (pronounced "ken-wah" or "kin-o-ah") that is permitted on Passover even for Ashkenazim. Although it resembles a grain, it is technically a grass, and was never included in the prohibition against kitniyot. It is prepared like rice and has a very high protein content. (It's excellent in "cholent" stew!) In the United States and elsewhere, mainstream kosher supervision agencies certify it "Kosher for Passover" -- look for the label.

Interestingly, the Sefardi Jewish community does not have a prohibition against kitniyot. This creates the strange situation, for example, where one family could be eating rice on Passover - when their neighbors will not. So am I going to guess here that you are Ashkenazi and your wife is Sefardi. Am I right?

Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Moses ben Nachman (1194-1270), known as Nachmanides, and by the acronym of his name, Ramban. Born in Spain, he was a physician by trade, but was best-known for authoring brilliant commentaries on the Bible, Talmud, and philosophy. In 1263, King James of Spain authorized a disputation (religious debate) between Nachmanides and a Jewish convert to Christianity, Pablo Christiani. Nachmanides reluctantly agreed to take part, only after being assured by the king that he would have full freedom of expression. Nachmanides won the debate, which earned the king's respect and a prize of 300 gold coins. But this incensed the Church: Nachmanides was charged with blasphemy and he was forced to flee Spain. So at age 72, Nachmanides moved to Jerusalem. He was struck by the desolation in the Holy City -- there were so few Jews that he could not even find a minyan to pray. Nachmanides immediately set about rebuilding the Jewish community. The Ramban Synagogue stands today in Jerusalem's Old City, a living testimony to his efforts.

It's easy to be intimidated by mean people. See through their mask. Underneath is an insecure and unhappy person. They are alienated from others because they are alienated from themselves.

Have compassion for them. Not pity, not condemning, not fear, but compassion. Feel for their suffering. Identify with their core humanity. You might be able to influence them for the good. You might not. Either way your compassion frees you from their destructiveness. And if you would like to help them change, compassion gives you a chance to succeed.

It is the nature of a person to be influenced by his fellows and comrades (Rambam, Hil. De'os 6:1).

We can never escape the influence of our environment. Our life-style impacts upon us and, as if by osmosis, penetrates our skin and becomes part of us.

Our environment today is thoroughly computerized. Computer intelligence is no longer a science-fiction fantasy, but an everyday occurrence. Some computers can even carry out complete interviews. The computer asks questions, receives answers, interprets these answers, and uses its newly acquired information to ask new questions.

Still, while computers may be able to think, they cannot feel. The uniqueness of human beings is therefore no longer in their intellect, but in their emotions.

We must be extremely careful not to allow ourselves to become human computers that are devoid of feelings. Our culture is in danger of losing this essential aspect of humanity, remaining only with intellect. Because we communicate so much with unfeeling computers, we are in danger of becoming disconnected from our own feelings and oblivious to the feelings of others.

As we check in at our jobs, and the computer on our desk greets us with, "Good morning, Mr. Smith. Today is Wednesday, and here is the agenda for today," let us remember that this machine may indeed be brilliant, but it cannot laugh or cry. It cannot be happy if we succeed, or sad if we fail.

Today I shall...

try to remain a human being in every way - by keeping in touch with my own feelings and being sensitive to the feelings of others.

With stories and insights,
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